Dakota Community Church
October 5, 2008
Foundational Truth Intro
(Week 1)
I want to begin this morning by addressing a couple of the issues and questions that have arisen as a result of the sermons of the past few weeks.
A couple of people mentioned that it sounded as though I was saying that “We know miracles do not happen” these days. What I was saying there is that modern scholars reject the overwhelming evidence as to the validity of scriptural based on the fact that the scriptures report the supernatural as point of fact. I was using the term sarcastically speaking as the modern scholar, not to our belief which is of course that a Supernatural God is still very much at work supernaturally in the earth.
Another question that arose had to do with this whole idea of salvation by grace verses the lukewarm living we are warned against in Revelation and in the messages from last month. Are these ideas opposites and if not how do they go together?
Romans 9:30-33
What then shall we say? That the Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, have obtained it, a righteousness that is by faith; but Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness, has not attained it. Why not? Because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over the "stumbling stone." As it is written:
"See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame."
1Corinthians 3:11-15
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
Read 2 Corinthians 5
How then can we expect to be received in heaven? Will it be a good thing or a bad thing?
It will overwhelmingly be a great thing. Think Prodigal Son reception. Think older brother reception. – Luke 15:11-32
Is it possible to lose our salvation?
I do not believe in eternal security, neither do I believe in eternal insecurity. I think it is possible to know God and then reject Him on purpose, but even that would be a very rare thing that only God could judge.
I hope that answers some questions and provokes some more scripture searching Berean style.
Now let’s move on to our study of foundational truth by reading Hebrews 5:11 – 6:3
Hebrews 5:11-14
We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Hebrews 6:1-3
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And God permitting, we will do so.
So the question is why are we teaching on these foundational truths the author says to leave behind and go on to maturity?
1. Christians are to grow up spiritually.
The author is frustrated with his audience because they have refused to grow up. A significant amount of time has passed, they should be teaching others but instead they need him to teach again the “elementary truths”; the stoicheia in the Greek, which literally means the A, B, C’s.
1Peter 2:2-3
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
To be Continued; October 19, 2008
PowerPoint available (Free of charge) on request dcormie@mts.net
